Update no.998

 Update from the Sunland

No.998

22.2.21 – 28.2.21

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

            To all,

 

Will wonders ever cease?

Jeanne & I received our 1^st dose of COVID19 vaccine, Thursday evening, 25.February.2021—ModernaTX, Inc. mRNA-1273.  We had a 60-mile drive each way across Phoenix during rush hour; the drive to the site took 90 minutes.  Even the personnel at the site were surprised by how far we travelled for the vaccinations.  Embry Women’s Health ran the site at Estrella High School in Goodyear, Arizona.  The site was well organized and very efficiently run.  We moved smoothly through the process from check-in and registration to the needle stick in the arm.  We received our shots in the left deltoid muscle at 18:13 [T] MST, and then had to wait for 30 minutes to check for any adverse reactions; we had none. It was nice to have a book, so no wasted time.  Before we departed, our 2^nd dose was scheduled for exactly 28 days later.  A couple of days after our shots, we had some upper arm soreness, but it was minor compared to other vaccination shot types.

I feel compelled to add that our experience in trying to receive this vaccination is indicative of the extraordinary inequity prevalent in contemporary life.  Fortunately, we could afford to spend the time and expense to go to where the vaccine was available.  Other citizens of lesser means do not have that capacity.  The same is true in so many aspects of everyday living, e.g., voting, medical services, education, and opportunity.

 

            The follow-up news items:

-- After watching NASA stick the landing of Percy on Mars [997], I felt compelled to watch the extended news conference with the Perseverance project managers.  They offered video clips of the landing sequence as well as details of the landing site.  The video coverage of the news conference was one hour 52 minutes long with narration and commentary by NASA engineers of the Perseverance landing.  If anyone is interested in such events, I highly recommend taking the time to watch the whole news conference.  The URL is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYQwuYZbA6o

We learn more every day about the magnificent engineering that went into the whole system that delivered Percy within five (5) meters of the planned landing spot after a 300 million mile, six month journey from Earth to Mars.  An interesting little tidbit, the usual pattern in the supersonic parachute canopy was actually binary code that reads “Dare Mighty Things.”  Another interesting factoid: NASA marked and photographed the landing site of the heat shield, the parachute, and the descent stage as well as the precise location of Percy. I eagerly await fantastic discoveries from Percy.

-- After the upbeat item above, we have a downer.  The United States of America passed half a million pandemic fatalities due to COVID19 infection [946].  I suppose this is the price of freedom.  On the positive side of such a negative fact, the Biden administration appears to be making headway on moving the nation forward toward overcoming the burdens of the pandemic.

 

The House of Representatives finally passed HR 1319, currently titled: American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the latest version of the COVID19 further relief bill passed the House [House: 219-212-0-1(3)]. The vote was on a nearly perfect party line vote except to two Democrats who crossed party line and voted against the bill.

Walter Kurt ‘Kurt’ Schrader of Oregon

Jared Forrest Golden of Maine

The bill goes to the Senate where it is certainly going to be contested.  After four (4) years, the BICP and few remaining Republicans have apparently found their conscience regarding the price tag. In this, I agree with President Biden, now is not the time to withhold spending.  So, now, we wait on the Senate.  I hope and trust the senators do the correct thing for We, the People—all American citizens.  Now is not the time to skimp.

 

I watched a chunk of the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Attorney General Nominee Judge Merrick Brian Garland.  Of particular despicable note was the questioning by Senator Thomas Bryant ‘Tom’ Cotton of Arkansas (a BICP sycophant).  The issue for Cotton was one of many executive orders signed by President Biden on the day of his inauguration, titled: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.

Cotton: “Are you aware President Biden has signed an executive order stating his administration will affirmatively advance racial equity—not racial equality, but racial equity?”

Garland:  “Yes, I read the opening to that executive order that defines equity as the fair and impartial treatment of every person without regard to their status, including individuals who have been in underserved communities where they were not afforded that before.  But I don’t see any distinction.  That’s the definition that was included in that executive order you’re talking about.”

After listening to the exchange several times, I am left with the impression that Cotton feels the president is attempting some sort of Robin Hood maneuver, i.e., to take from one group (white) and give to another (other than white).  I have no idea how Cotton got to that point, but it is what it is.  President Biden’s executive order was quite consistent with executive orders issued by President Truman more than 70 years ago—executive orders 9808 [5.12.1946], 9980 & 9981 [26.7.1948] that sought to abolished discrimination "on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin" in the federal government, including the military.  Frankly, I saw Cotton’s questioning of Garland as a direct effort to perpetuate racial division amplified by his führer.  Despite decades of efforts to achieve racial equity is treatment, we have failed to achieve that desired state and have a very long way to go. President Biden’s order is part of the continuing process to expunge racism from our society—an admirable and laudable effort.  Senator Cotton should be ashamed of himself and his performance; it was disgusting (but hey, quite consistent with his führer).

 

The House of Representatives also passed H.R.5, provisionally titled: Equality Act—An ActTo prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes.  The vote was House: 224-206-0-2(3), with 3 Republicans crossing the aisle and two not voting.  The bill is long overdue, and it finally on the table.  One more bill goes from the House to the Senate for action.  Hopefully, the Senate will move quickly (at least for the Senate) to get this important law passed, and our LGBTQ citizens can feel the equal protection under the law they deserve.

 

In the turbulent wake of the [person who shall no longer be named], the ultra-right faction among American citizens and the conspiracy theorists within our society exploded into general public awareness. Perhaps foremost and most enigmatic of those elements is an amorphous group known as QAnon.  CNN broadcast a Special Report by Anderson Cooper titled “The Cult of QAnon.”  The program certainly gives us more insight into the group, but it also left us with many more questions.  Anderson called upon other journalists and experts including:

Adrienne LaFrance, Executive Editor, The Atlantic

Kevin Roose, Technology Columnist, New York Times

Mia Bloom, Evidence-based Cybersecurity Program, Georgia State University

Donie O’Sullivan, CNN Reporter

Elizabeth Neumann, former DHS counterterrorism official

He interviewed a QAnon believer (apparently the only one he could get to talk) by the name of Brian Ogstad.  He also interviewed former QAnon believers Jitarth Jadeja and Ashley Vanderbilt.  He illuminated common phrases that appear in QAnon communications and other media with supporters:

“Where we go one, we go all.” [WWG1, WGA]

“The Storm”

“Trust in the plan”

“17” (as in the 17^thletter of the alphabet – Q)

“Save the children” or “Save our children”

“adrenochrome”

Of course, a report like this could not pass up pointing to the blatant QAnon supporters in Congress, namely Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, née Taylor, of Georgia, and Lauren Opal Boebert, née Roberts, of Colorado.

Whether any reader is a believer or not, I urge everyone to watch, listen, and think about the contents of the program.

 

            Comments and contributions from Update no.997:

“‘morning Cap. ‘King Baby’? An explanation for us Anglo Saxons please.

“Not that I suspect much Anglo Saxon influence in my blood but who knows!  A DNA check may well frighten me! 

“Trust you both are well, we are. Waiting for our 2^nd jab from Mister Pfizer.  We’re waiting for a PM statement in the house today on the proposals to ease lockdown.  There’s no rush-let’s get it right this time.

“Our next very big event in U/K is the annual financial statement, the Budget.  We are in serious trouble financially with the Covid expenditure running into billions of £s.  The loans will need to be paid back, that will take a considerable time I fear and we will all, one way or another, be contributing via taxes etc.  Ah well, there is no alternative, bills need to be paid.”

My reply:

‘King Baby’ is a moniker coined by a frequent contributor for the [person who shall no longer be named], as in he acts like baby and he wants to be king, or he is the ultimate baby—immature, tempestuous, self-centered, temperamental, and irrational.

We are scheduled to get our first jab (Moderna) on Thursday evening; 2^ndjab remains TBD (see above).  Our docs are talking about COVID19 safety procedures being necessary into next year.  I’ll be glad to have this episode behind us.

I’ve no idea how we’re going to pay down our debt, and the Biden administration is working with Congress to spend another US$1.9T, which I must say I believe we must do to help so many still in serious need until we can fire up the economy and get people back to work.

. . . follow-up comment:

Ah thanks obviously I had a suspicion what it meant and very apt to.

I’m trying to visualise how many 0s there are in US$1.9t dollars!

All necessary expenditure, fortunately borrowing is relatively cheap at the moment.

Good to hear that you are soon to receive your first jabs. The medics have done an outstanding job producing and administering these.

. . . my follow-up reply:

No problem; always willing to be of assistance.

LOL, how many zeroes . . . big bunches.  It’s a lot of money, but given the trauma to our citizens and the economy it is a spit in the ocean.  Yes, the consequence of our seriously diminished economy is far worse than the increase of the national debt.  I encourage passage of the bill as requested.

We have managed to stay healthy through a year of the pandemic, but I will feel better once we are a week or so post-vaxx.  I just want to get ‘er done—both shots.  I will breathe easier once we are out the other side. Regardless of vaccine, we will continue to abide the guideline as long as they are recommended.  We will do our part for the national good.

Beautiful days here in Arizona; this is why we live here.

 

Comment to the Blog:

 “Your post came to my Inbox today because I created a filter for your emails.  That’s an advanced operation for many, including me.

“‘Trying to avoid taking on the MAGA faction directly’ is a problem, not a constructive method.  The genesis of that statement goes back to Ford’s pardon of Nixon, which is as good a turning point as any for the departure from law and order of the U.S. government.  Also, here’s a link to a fivethirtyeight article on reporting about King Baby.  https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/nine-lessons-i-learned-about-political-reporting-while-covering-trump/

It’s very long, but quite illuminating, and it gives resources for keeping track of people that aren’t reported well by other sources.”

My response to the Blog:

I’m sorry you had to do that, but I’m glad it worked.  I hope it continues to work.

I have a slightly different view.  The prosecution and imprisonment of the insurrectionists will do the most to suppress that faction.  It is still yet to be seen whether the [person who shall no longer be named] will be prosecuted and imprisoned, but at present, the signs are still positive and hope remains.  Prosecution and imprisonment of the [person who shall no longer be named] will also serve to suppress that insurrectionist faction in that they will no longer have political cover provided by their leader.

I would say the lessons learned by Perry Bacon, Jr., are directly applicable to the assessment of the Biden administration’s performance.  We’ve a long road ahead, but Bacon’s lessons-learned will help us along the journey.

. . . follow-up comment:

“I beg to differ with your assessment of the insurrectionists.  That subculture goes back to the Civil War and is not dependent on King Baby.  I was familiar with their attitudes in my childhood, and my distaste for them helped shape my political views.  It would take more convictions and prison terms than are likely to occur to lessen their numbers.”

. . . my follow-up response:

Certainly there are elements within the insurrectionist mob as you note. Their racism, xenophobia, homophobia and all of the other –isms + -phobias that are the basis of hatred and intolerance for those not like them goes back many generations far beyond even the Civil War.  They were taught hatred by their parents.  You may well be correct, but I still believe the Biden administration DoJ will make a valiant attempt to prosecute all of those that can be identified and sufficient evidence accumulated beyond a reasonable doubt. There will be some who invaded the Capitol Building with violence and malice of forethought who will escape justice, but I think the message will be clear to all of them that the current administration will not tolerate insurrection as the previous administration did.

My caution here is, let us not paint with too broad of a brush. Not all of the protesters can or should be painted in the white supremacist color or even in the insurrectionist color.  Not all of the protesters entered the Capitol Building.  I called them the cover force, so they have culpability but not to the degree of the assault force.  Let us be careful not to over-generalize.

Yes, exactly, the [person who shall no longer be named] did not create the discontent among that mobilized faction of the MAGA supporters, but he sure as hell stimulated, encouraged, fed, nurtured, activated, and exploited those malcontents.  That was not some spontaneous protest rally gone wrong.  It was intentionally and purposefully requested, publicized, and pumped up directly by the [person who shall no longer be named].  He escaped impeachment conviction because of his BICP – MAGA sycophants in the Senate.  He should not escape the law.  His political believers cannot save him in court.  The [person who shall no longer be named], AKA King Baby, violated federal law; he directly and with malice of forethought incited that insurrection on the 6^thof January; he must be punished for his transgressions.  The message to those who supported him must be crystal clear.

 

Another contribution:

“perhaps a premature question:

“why no outrage or adulation over Biden’s commitment to saddle us taxpayers (or our creditors, actually) with the cost of forgiving legal voluntary student debt that could instead be extended and paid off honorably in time as would be expected if individual responsibility and accountability were still the American standard?”

My response:

Simple answer: the jury is still out.  It is not clear whether that provisions of the proposed bill in Congress will survive reconciliation.

I am not enamored with straight, unqualified, student loan forgiveness for a host of reasons.  I am supportive of an appropriate quid pro quo similar to what I did, i.e., my education, including post-graduate education, was paid for by my service to the nation.  I think such societal service can be broadened to include all sorts of options.  Individual responsibility and accountability are still the standard, although many have tried to challenge that standard.

We shall overcome.

 

            My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                        :-)